Mother Nature is going to give us classic Thanksgiving weather in New York City next week–expect crisp, cool, and fabulous parade-watching conditions. But if you’re going to be one of the 82 million Americans traveling for turkey next week, you may not be so lucky.
Unfortunately, AccuWeather’s long-range experts are here to rain on our parade, calling for a series of storms to sweep across the U.S. next week, bringing rain, snow, gusty winds, and fog that could seriously disrupt holiday travel plans. AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok stated:
Storms could cause major travel headaches in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. People heading out on the highways should be prepared for snowy conditions in parts of the Midwest and Northwest. Drivers could encounter rain and fog as storms push from the central U.S. to the Northeast before Thanksgiving Day.
Week of Thanksgiving Forecast
Poor travel conditions are expected to kick off at the start of the holiday travel week on Monday, November 24th, though it’s expected to be localized across parts of the southern Plains and Northwest.
These conditions include storms, snow, gusty winds, and fog that could cause flight delays and cancellations–especially if major hubs like Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta, or New York are hit.
By Tuesday, November 25th, poor travel conditions are likely to hit everywhere from eastern Texas to Indiana and Kentucky, as well as parts of the Upper Midwest. Travelers on flights passing through Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Houston, Minneapolis, and possibly Pittsburgh may be adversely affected.
Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, cold air surging south from Canada could bring snow to the northeastern slopes of the Rockies and High Plains, from Montana to Wyoming, western Nebraska, and Colorado.
Poor travel conditions are expected in parts of Michigan on Wednesday, November 26th, while rain, slick conditions, and poor visibility in the eastern U.S. could slow down travel on congested highways. Pastelok stated:
The storm will be losing some of its intensity and moisture as it travels from the Central states to the Northeast, but given the travel volume, even a few hours of rain can create significant problems on the roads and runways from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
Moreover, Wednesday thunderstorms in the Southeast could lead to delays at busy travel hubs in Atlanta and Charlotte, blustery conditions and some lake-effect snow will hit the Great Lakes region, and rain and snow showers are possible from the Ohio Valley to the Appalachians.
Thanksgiving Day Forecast
Thankfully, things should calm down for the most part by Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27th.
Parades in New York City and Philadelphia will likely face dry conditions and light winds. Pastelok stated:
At this time, we believe strong winds behind the front will hold off in New York City until the afternoon or evening and should be relatively light for the large balloons during Thanksgiving morning. However, if the front is faster, winds may kick up sooner.
As of now, temperatures in New York City should hit a cool 52º–though RealFeel will be slightly chillier at 49º–along with intervals of clouds and sunshine.
TL;DR
Basically, if you’re traveling over the river and through the woods this Thanksgiving, you may want to prepare for some storms potentially wreaking havoc on your journey.
If you’re staying put in New York City, however, prepare for a perfectly crisp day of parade watching. Just be sure to have your puffer coat on and warm mulled wine on deck.